


Unexpected

by insaneshadowfangirl



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, And Their Foster Mother is Oblivious, Baby Manic is Way Too Good at Getting Into Things He Shouldn't, Baby Mobian Hedgehogs are NOT SUPPOSED TO EXSIST, Baby Scourge is Secretly A Little Demon, Baby Shadow Bites, Baby Sonia Hates Dirt, Baby Sonic is Still an Aquaphobe, Baby Talk is Adorable, Binocular Guy and His Partner Currently Lack Names, But Hermoine Beats Them Up, But Nobody is Getting Between Her and Her Kids, But She Found Them Anyway, Gen, Hermione is a Total Cynic, I Bet It Will Attempt To Write Itself Soon, I Don't Even Know, Lots of Sarcastic Humor, Musing on Life, Really Hermione Has No Idea What The Hell Is Happening, Road Trip, Running From The Government, She Hates the World and it Hates her Back, They were in a box, This Started Out Simple, This Story Took On A Life Of Its Own, Two Mysterious Organizations Fighting It Out Over Five Toddlers, What The Hell Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, lots of swearing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-09 15:28:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1988094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/insaneshadowfangirl/pseuds/insaneshadowfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermione Cinika is a 17-year-old with a general apathy for life and the world around her.</p><p>She's not stupid, she knows the world is an unhappy, unpleasant, unfair place, and that soon, she'll be on her own, striking out to make a mark on a world she doesn't feel is worth it.</p><p>A few weeks before she turns eighteen, though, she finds a box on the side of the road that will change her life - And her view of the world around her - forever.</p><p>With five unexpected Mobian toddlers to watch over, She's learning how to be a mother, how to survive in a world that can be both cruel and kind, and how to believe that maybe there's a little bit of light left among the dark after all.</p><p>But she'll need to be careful, because there's more than meets the eye in this journey, and something (and perhaps someone) sinister wants her new kids, and they'll stop at nothing to get them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Life Sucks, Then I Find A Box

**Author's Note:**

> Insane: Well, this has been on FFN for a while now, but I'm finally getting around to posting shit on this site. So, enjoy!
> 
> Side note: This is my actual morning routine. -_-*
> 
> Side note 2: 'Cinika' Means 'Cynic' in Esperanto. I thought it fit.
> 
> ~!@#$%^&*()_+
> 
> Disclaimer: If you recognize it, chances are high that I don't own it. Like, very high.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's an ordinary day - till something unexpected happens.

Have you ever had something exceedingly weird happen to you? I mean, like, weird to the point where you don't even know if you're quite sane anymore.

Not that I'm entirely certain I was sane to begin with, but this is out of even _my_ comfort zone.

It was just another day for me, a miserable, monotonous existence, consisting of dragging my ass out of bed at the ungodly hour of half-past five in the morning, throwing on some headphones to block out the world - headphones that probably wouldn't come off all day - running in circles around the block for an hour or so, dragging myself back inside, then getting ready to spend eight hours in the hell they try to call high school. It was a routine I went through daily.

Except, today, things didn't quite go the way I was expecting.

My alarm blared out some obnoxious Sonic Underground music and I rolled over, attempting to get my thoughts in some semblance of order so I could throw my phone against the wall. No such luck, though, as the moment I rolled I fell off the bed. Swearing under my breath, I turned off the stupid song and threw on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt.

Down the stairs, past my mom, headphones on, door open and I'm FINALLY out in the morning air. Happily, I began to enjoy one of the few things I like doing, jogging.

That's where things started to get strange.

I was running down the road when I tripped over a tree branch. Yet again muttering curses that would make a sailor blush, I got back to my feet and checked for damage. I was fine, just a scrape on my arm that stung but wouldn't need even a Band-aid. I was kicking the branch out of the way when I saw something interesting out of the corner of my eye. There was a cardboard box, dirty and beat up, tucked behind a bush, just out of sight. Out of a mix of boredom and curiosity, I went up to it and nudged it with the toe of my shoe.

It was heavy, full of something or other.

I don't know why I didn't just leave what was probably some guy's disturbing porno or something. I guess I was just plain intrigued.

I knelt down and opened the box, peering inside. Five pairs of eyes peered back at me, and I fell back on my ass in surprise, yelping.

I caught my breath and peeked at them again. Closer inspection revealed something that shouldn't have been possible, but there it was.

Five tiny Mobian hedgehogs, tiny as in extremely young, were sitting in a dirty, beaten up cardboard box on the side of the road at five thirty in the morning in mid-march.

Holy shit.

I don't know how long I sat on my heels and stared, but I'm pretty sure it was at least two minutes before I was snapped out of my stupor by a miniscule hand (paw?) touching my wrist and heard a small, sniffling voice.

"Mommy?"

Those watery green eyes - emerald eyes I'd seen on my tv screen too many times to count - peered at me, framed by blue fur, and I did the thing any self-respecting seventeen-year-old would do when faced with an infant version of a fictional character calling them 'Mommy'.

I fainted.

~! #$%^&*()-

A man in a stereotypical black suit and sunglasses peered through a pair of binoculars from his spot in a suspicious white van, watching the girl look at the box in either awe or disbelief.

"She's found them." He said to his equally stereotypical partner.

"Are you sure she's a good choice? She's still in high school and from my reports seems to hate the universe as much as it hates her..."

Binocular Guy shot a sharp glare at his partner. "Whether I think this is a good idea isn't important; we have our orders!" He looked back through to find her still staring at them.

"I know, but what if-"

"They've imprinted!" Binocular Guy said, startled. "Or, at least, Project Sonic did!"

His partner blinked. "Well, that's that. Once Project Sonic imprints, the other four will follow, quickly."

BG nodded, peeking back through the lenses. "Oops."

"What?"

"I think that was a little too much for Miss Cinika."

"Why?"

"She seems to have fainted."

"Oops. Should we get her and her new charges home?"

BG nodded. "Don't forget to take care of the mother."

The pair stepped out of the van, and walked about twenty feet to where the girl, one Hermione Cinika, was lying unconscious, while a worried baby Sonic the Hedgehog was crying. Binocular Guy scooped the box of hedgies into his arms, while his partner did the same with the teen. Arriving at the blue-white house in the middle of the street, they opened the door to find the girl's mother getting ready for her workday, packing a lunch and munching on a piece of toast. When she saw the two, one of whom was holding her daughter, she glared.

"Who are you?!"

BG moved the box to the crook of his right arm and pulled out what looked like an ordianry ink pen. He pushed a button on the side, and a light flashed.

The mother's eyes seemed to glaze over.

BG's partner said, "Your daughter isn't feeling well. You will allow her to remain home from school for the next couple of days, and you will not bother her about anything other than meals unless asked, nor will you enter her bedroom without express permission."

They then walked upstairs, did the same to her stepdad, and placed her onto her bed, removing the small hedgehog pups from their box and setting them on the bed next to her. When they were sure the six of them were comfortable, they scribbled a note for her, then left, flicking the light off as they did.


	2. I Ponder My Sanity Or Lack Of Such

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione wakes up. She is not amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: HI! Wellllllllllll... ummmm... You know what? I DON'T HAVE A CLEVER QUIP! *bursts into big, anime tears*
> 
> Sonic: WATER! AHHHHH! *jumps on top of Shadow*
> 
> Shadow: Seriously, Faker? It's just tears! It's not as if she'll flood - *realizes the water is up to his waist* Well, shit. SOMEBODY GET ME A LIFE RAFT!
> 
> ~! #$%^&*()-
> 
> Disclaimer: Safe exploding is good exploding. Make sure to dial '9-1' before you blow something up so you can reach the fire brigade quickly.

You know how, after a strange or traumatic event, you wake up in bed and have this feeling that it was all a dream? You'd think the things that happened to me that morning would've qualified for that feeling.

Well, they didn't.

Mostly because I awoke with a little pink and red ball of fur curled on my chest. Without really thinking about it, I picked her up under the tiny arms and took a good, long look.

The little miss - the only female of the five - was Sonia, from Sonic Underground. I glanced at the rest. Manic, also from the Underground... Sonic... Shadow, however that worked, since I was pretty sure he was never an infant... and... Scourge? I set Sonia in my lap and picked up the second little green furball, nearly identical to Sonic, I knew, just with green fur and blue eyes. Except he was supposed to have been born looking exactly like Sonic! I guess I should just be glad he didn't have those horrible scars. Just the thought of someone hurting my kids- wait, where had that come from!? Shaking my head, I moved Sonia off my lap and laid the still sleeping green hedgehog next to her.

Looking around my room, I noticed that it was light out. I should be at school! Not that I minded missing it, but Mom would never let me stay home unless I was really sick.

... How did I even get back in my room?

WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON!?

Okay, so maybe I am losing it.

I had no more time to ponder my sanity or lack thereof, because I heard a sniffle behind me before one of the children (Later I would know their crying well enough to figure out it was Scourge., but for the moment I just knew it probably wasn't Sonia.) burst into tears and very loud crying. It was this that awoke the others and started a symphony that wouldn'tve been out of place in the Fields of Punishment from Greek legend, alongside the boiling of oil and the sound of opera music.

I had no idea what to do. What does one do with five wailing toddlers? Something told me telling them to shut up would be counterproductive, but I had to figure something out before the neighbors showed up, thinking I was torturing someone or something!

In reality, I felt like I was the one being tortured, but oh well. I had a nasty feeling I'd be hearing this for a very long time.

In a stroke of pure genius, I sat on the bed and pulled them all into my lap. I was expecting them to still cry until I could calm them down, but all five of them instantly quieted, cuddling against me.

"Mommy!" I jumped in surprise. That wasn't Sonic this time. I looked down to see Shadow staring up at me adorably, big red eyes shining. "Mommy! I wuv 'oo, Mommy!"

So, no worries on the weirdness factor. I stared.

"Mama?" Manic asked, also looking up at me with emerald eyes. "Mama otay?"

"I-I'm fine, sweetie..." I stammered, totally lost. WHY did they think I was their mom? I looked around the disaster I call my bedroom, as if hoping for some kind of divine explanation.

My eyes fell on a manila envelope on my bedside that certainly wasn't there when I left this morning. Well... It was worth a shot. I reached over and picked up the folder, popping the tab and pulling out the contents.

I felt my jaw drop as at least two thousand in hundred dollar bills, some kind of silver pen, a set of keys, a booklet of photographs, and a letter in a postal envelope fell out.

I opened the envelope first, and was unsurprised to find it contained a letter - it was the contents that had me gaping.

_Congratulations, Miss Hermione Cinika!_

_You are now the mother of five of the most powerful beings currently on the planet! You see, young lady, Sonic imprinted mentally on you and now considers you as such. The other four will quickly follow his lead in this._

_We cannot reveal ourselves to you at this time, but be aware we may be helping you from the shadows. You are just about to go out into the world, all on your own, and now you have five very important secrets to keep._

_We're sure you're wondering why we chose you, and what we want. All we ask is for you to raise them as your own. You may not realize it, Miss Cinika, but you posses some of the best qualities one could ask for in a mother. You just need some resources and practice..._

_To that end, we have enclosed 2500 in cash and the keys to a furnished house that will be ready for you at the end of the week. For now, please remain safe and hidden. Ask someone you trust to pick up anything you may need for the children. Your mother is under the impression you are ill; it would be best for you to keep up the charade. She will not bother you, nor will your stepfather._

_We will contact you again at the end of the week with information about your new home and a few other things._

_One final note, please keep that pen somewhere safe and DO NOT use it until you recieve our next note._

_-signed,_

_Anonymous_

I stared. This note raised more questions than answers. Who had written it? Why me? Where had these five come from? WHAT THE DAISY WAS GOING ON!?

... And who was I going to call to pick up what I needed? I can count the people I trust on one hand missing a few fingers-

You know what? I'll figure that out as soon as I figure out what I NEED!

Right now, though, I had no idea what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question 2:
> 
> "...in the Fields of Punishment from Greek legend, alongside the boiling of oil and the sound of opera music."
> 
> What am I referencing when I say opera music in the Fields of Punishment? I'm thinking of a specific series.


	3. I Learn My Room Is Not Toddler Safe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione tries to keep order. It does not work very well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: Don't worry, my dear readers! The pups will remain pups for a few years. They're about two right now, and they'll grow at the same rate as humans. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to comment on my work; reviews feed the muses! *jerks her thumb at Sonic, Shadow, Manic, Sonia, and Scourge, who are eating paper*
> 
> Sonia: This is gross!
> 
> Sonic: But very chewy. *smacks his lips*
> 
> Manic: *talking with his mouth full* It's not that bad!
> 
> Shadow: Swallow before you speak, Other Other Faker!
> 
> Scourge: Wait; I thought I was Other Faker!
> 
> Shadow: You are. Manic is Other Other Faker.
> 
> Sonia: *dryly* Not very original, are you, Faker?
> 
> Shadow: -_- Shut it, Female Faker.
> 
> Insane: *sweatdrops*
> 
> ~! #$%^&*()-
> 
> Disclaimer: Insanity Fangirl does not condone the eating of paper. You could get sick! SO DON'T DO IT! FOOLS!

Have you ever wondered what it's like to have quintuplets?

You don't want them.

It started when I was in my perpetually messy bedroom. A certain Little Miss did not like the state of affairs and -

"IS DIWTY! ICKY DIWTY YUCK YUCK!"

-Was not shy in letting me know this. Sonia was not happy with my room. It really wasn't that bad! Just my dirty laundry on the floor, a fair amount of clutter, and a few Dr. Pepper cans on my nightstand from last night.

Not bad at all! It could be much worse - when I was younger, my room would, at any given time, have toys, clothes (both dirty and clean), varying electronic crap, video games, CDs and DVDs, yarn, some more yarn, trash, and random crap spread across my floor in a layer at least a foot thick!

"DIWTY!"

What happened next could very well be considered a train wreck.

"SHADUP SONIE!" Scourge suddenly shouted, obviously irritated at Sonia's whining.

"SCOREGY BE NICEY TO SONIA!" Sonic screamed back, tackling the green hedgehog and starting a fight that could be considered the World's Cutest Free-For-All Brawl, rolling around on the floor and throwing tiny but powerful punches and kicks. I moved to stop them, but was interrupted in my valiant quest by Manic tugging on my pant leg.

"Mama lookie I find!"

I glanced down at the child to see him holding an embroidery needle, purloined somehow from the needlepoint I had on top of my bookshelf - which I feel the need to point out was at least four times his height. Panicking, I tried to coax him to hand over the sharp pointy thing, forgetting momentarily about the fight. Sharp pointy things in the hands of toddlers take precedence over fighting ones, right?

"Oh, Manic, that's so nice! Can I see?"

"No! Mine! I find!"

"I know, but-"

"MINE!"

A thought hit me. Do what mom did way back when.

"Fine, Manic. I didn't want it ANYway."

Like children the world over, Manic fell for the reverse psychology.

"I no want!" He held it out and I snatched it, turning just in time to see Sonic and Scourge's little fight had picked up a passenger. Apparently one of them had accidentally kicked Shadow, who hadn't taken very kindly to it and had joined the brawl.

Just like a train wreck, I couldn't tear my eyes away. It was both disturbing and fascinating to watch.

... Maybe I'm a bit morbid.

"DIWTY!"

And there was still Little Miss to deal with.

"C'mon, Sonia." I said, scooping her up and setting her so she was sitting on my shoulder. Her tiny hands clutched at my hair to keep herself upright. "There. Now you're waaaay above the dirty."

"Yaaaay!"

I rolled my eyes and returned my attention to the brawling boys, only to find that Manic had joined the trio attempting the toddler version of homicide, appearently in defense of his brother.

Whoopdie-dingle-doo.

I set a protesting Sonia ("No! NO! Is diwty!") on my pillow before getting on my hands and knees and plucking a random child that turned out to be Scourge from the fray. I was holding him by the extra skin on the back of his neck, and the little 'badass' was still throwing punches and kicks at thin air. It took a good twenty seconds for him to figure out he wasn't in the fight anymore, and by then I had already dropped him next to Sonia on my pillow and picked up Shadow, who was set at the far end of the bed.

Upon realizing thier dasterdly opponents were no longer on the floor with them, Manic and Sonic stopped fighting. They were promptly scooped up and deposited in the middle of my bed, with Sonia joining them a moment later.

"Now..." I said sternly, or at least I hoped I sounded stern, "What am I gonna do with you?"

"Am hungy, Mommy!" Sonic said suddenly, and rather randomly. Maybe I wasn't as stern as I thought. Cries of assent came from the other four, their fight forgotten.

"Well... Let's go find you some food!" I said, then realized a small issue.

What do I feed five young anthromorphic hedgehogs, anyway?

1:()79?47$

It turns out five young hedgehogs eat just like toddlers, which is good. I had a moment of fun when I gave them canned chili. Sonia and Shadow wouldn't touch the stuff (I made SpagettiO's for them), but Sonic, Scourge, and Manic loved it.

I realized when I glanced at them, though, that I would more than likely end up paying for my little joke when I saw all three covered head to toe in chili.

Dear Any Deity Willing to Listen,

PLEASE don't let Sonic be an aquaphobe yet. 

Sincerely,

Hermione Cinika

"Alright. Bath time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question 3: What is a group of hedgehogs called?


	4. I Give A Bath To An Aquaphobe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione tries to coax Sonic into the tub and Scourge shows homicidal tendencies. Just the usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: HIII!
> 
> Sonic: I hate you, Insanity.
> 
> Insane: ^^
> 
> ~! #$%^&*()_
> 
> Disclaimer: Good grammar be very important.

Have you ever tried to drag a Saint Bernard into a bathtub? One that hates water and is covered in chili?

I haven't but, I'm sure it would be easier than this.

"NO BAFF!"

Sonic had, unfortunately, retained his aquaphobia. And catching him was proving harder than I was hoping. I had managed to plonk three of the others - Sonia, Shadow, and surprisingly Scourge - in front of the TV, and an idiotic show about a ten-year-old in a pink hat with three fairies that grant his every wish, but Manic and Sonic were proving to be difficult.

To be honest, I had no idea where Manic was, and, while I may not have much experience with kids, I was pretty sure that was a bad thing. But for now, I needed to figure out how to get Sonic down from the top of the china cabinet (And how'd he _get_ up there, anyway?!) safely.

"NO BAFF!"

Yeah, it was a losing battle.

"Come on, Sonic, sweetheart..." I said in the most soothing and convincing tone I could manage. Considering how frustrated I was at the time, it wasn't as sweet as I'd hoped. More likely, it came out a growl.

"MAMA!"

I froze. That was Manic screaming for me, and now he was crying loudly. I ran into the kitchen as fast as I could to find the small, wild-quilled green ball of fur's small bare feet sticking out of the top of the door of the dishwasher. My best guess was he'd somehow gotten on the counter (I have GOT to figure out how they're doing this. I mean, they're barely a foot tall!), almost fallen off, managed to grab the dishwasher latch, opening the door slightly, then tried to climb back up on the counter, opening it more and then falling in face first.

It would've been funny if it weren't so damn terrifying. I ran forward as fast as I could, gently pulling the dirty and scared boy out of the 'trap' and rocking him back and forth, gently.

"Mama..." He sniffled, and for the first time since this entire disaster started, I actually felt like one.

I carried Manic into the living room, gently running a hand through his small quills. I had an idea, one I was sure would work.

"Sonic?"

"No baff!"

I smiled slightly. _Let's see if he has that hero complex._ "You wouldn't wanna leave Manic and Sonia to face the evils of bathwater on their own, would you?"

A wide-eyed blue hedgehog peered at me from behind a plate. "'Lone? No! No! No leave Sonia n' Manie all 'lone!" He darted over to the edge of the cabinet and jumped into my arms. "Baff to potect Sonia 'n Manie!"

I nodded seriously at him, trying to keep a smirk off my face. That had worked better than I'd hoped.

Like the pied piper, I led my charges up the stairs to the bathroom, keeping a careful eye on them as they climbed. Once we were all in the bathroom, I locked the door, just in case Sonic changed his mind, and sat them all in a row.

I quickly flipped on the taps in the bathtub, not to hot or to cold, and started letting the tub fill up. Looking over my five charges, I decided Sonia was young enough for it to not matter if she bathed with the others and started helping her pull off her onesie and the large yellow bow in her hair. Once she was done, sitting in nothing but her red fur and pink hair, I moved on to taking the boys' tee shirts off. All five of them were shivering now, so I scooped them up one by one and dropped them into the warm three inches of water, turning off the tap.

As I'd predicted, Sonic didn't want anything to do with it.

At all.

"Nononononono _NO MOMMY_! Is too deepie! Am gon' dwown!"

"Nobody ever drowned in three inches of water, Sonic!"

"Gon _DWOWN_!" I dumped a cup of water over his head and used the moment he stared at me in complete and utter shock to work shampoo into his fur and quills. I got a couple nicks on my hands but I didn't care, my mind was focused on getting Sonic out as fast as possible so I could do the other four. Quickly, I dumped another cup over him and picked the now rinsed blue furball up under the arms as he kicked and struggled, dropping him onto a towel I'd spread on the floor.

"Stay put." I said sternly. "Or I'll put you back in the tub."

Mean? Maybe. But it worked. The dripping blue hedgehog didn't dare move until I was done with the others.

I turned to the tub to find Scourge trying to hold Manic's head under the water. "Scourge!"

The boy let go of the other green hedgehog and gave me the best 'I'm totally innocent' face he could manage. I resisted the urge to facepalm, grabbing the troublemaker and dumping the cup over his head, earning an unhappy grumble. While I absently scrubbed him down, I thought about the difference between Scourge and Sonic. I knew Scourge was different from Sonic in personality, and a reverse of his blue counterpart in many ways, but there were key similarities to go with the differences.

One difference I had been surprised to learn of, once when searching Google on a whim for info on the Moebian - It's difficult to get ahold of the comics for me - was that, rather than aquaphobia, Scourge suffered from _acrophobia_ \- fear of heights. I'd have to watch for that. The first green hedgehog finished, I moved on to Manic, absently pulling a razor out of his hand and putting it back on the wall rack, only barely remembering to wonder how he'd gotten ahold of it.

Manic, I knew, was raised as a thief. I probably shouldn't have been surprised by his ability to get into things he shouldn't, but the thing was that he hadn't actually _been_ raiseed yet. None of them had, but they seemed to have the same personalities as they did as teens on - hang on. It was quiet. Too quiet.

I turned around, checking on Sonic and Scourge. Unsurprisingly, I suppose, Scourge had Sonic in a headlock. One glare from 'Mom' had him letting go and putting his innocent face on again. "Stay put or you'll be in time-out, young man."

I pulled Manic out and set him next to his brother, before turning and starting on my least troublesome charge. I was just _waiting_ for the other shoe to drop and for Shadow to start... I don't even know. But it would happen, I was sure of it! For now, though, I'd just enjoy him being his broody toddler self.

Whoopdie-dingle-doo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question 4:
> 
> What is the TV show that Hermione had Sonia, Shadow, and Scourge watching?
> 
> "...an idiotic show about a ten-year-old in a pink hat with three fairies that grant his every wish..."


	5. I Get Bitten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bedtime comes and Hermione discovers that Shadow bites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: Hi! I'm half-asleep right now so shit.
> 
> Sonic: Isn't this a family program?
> 
> Insane: Fuck no!
> 
> Sonic: But-
> 
> Insane: ROLL TAPE!

Have you ever had one of those moments where you just wanted to tear your hair out?

Well, mine was bedtime. I thought that nothing could be worse than trying to get Sonic into the tub.

I was wrong.

Manic and Sonia actually went down fairly quickly, tired from the day's... Exploits.

Sonic and Scourge were a little harder, but I discovered that if you held a toddler still long enough, their bodies just shut down, and they slept! Who knew!

It doesn't seem so bad, right?

Remember what I said about waiting for the other shoe to drop regarding Shadow?

"NO BED!" The little red and black hedgehog screamed, stomping his tiny socked foot. "NO BED!" He was on top of the refrigerator. I was _really_ getting sick of all this 'getting into and onto high places they shouldn't be able to'.

"Get down from there, Shadow!" I snapped, my patience _gone_ after hours of this kind of shit from all five of them. I'd make an awful babysitter.

"MAKEY MES!"

I glared. "Gladly." I said coolly, yanking out one of the kitchen chairs from under the table and shoving it to the front of the fridge. In thirty seconds, I had a little ebony furball hanging from my hand by the scruff of the neck.

"Noooooooo! No bed!" And then, he did something I wasn't expecting.

He _bit_ me.

He **_BIT_ ** me!

I yelped in surprise and a little pain. "Ow!" I glared at him.

Those ruby eyes glared right back.

"No bed." He said simply.

Well, _that_ wasn't going to fly. I sat on the chair I was standing on and set him over my knee.

"You do not bite, Shadow!" And I did something I never thought I'd end up doing, mostly because I never thought I'd have kids.

I spanked him. Three times I smacked that little black-furred bottom.

It wasn't very hard, only with the tips of my fingers above the knuckles and only about as hard as one would clap their hands. It probably hurt less than the bite mark on my hand (Which, due to only having four teeth and only one tiny incisor, didn't hurt much at all), but the boy still yelped in surprise and slight pain, trying to get off of my lap. I picked him up again. "Now, Shadow, why did Mommy do that?"

"Mes bited her..." Shadow mumbled.

"And is it nice to bite people?"

"No-no..."

"So should you?"

"No-no..."

"So what do you say to Mommy?"

"Am sowwee Mama." He said, looking up at me with the cutest little face.

"It's okay, Pumpkin..." I said, rubbing a finger behind his little triangle ear and causing him to giggle. "... Just don't do it again."

"Otay, Mama."

"Now, let's get you to bed."

"No!"

I gave him the _look_. It was the one I use on boys, not one for babies, but nevertheless it was effective.

"Otay."

~! #$%^&*()-

I laid Shadow down amongst the others, then crawled over them so I could sleep as well.

Looking at them, with their sweet innocence and cute sleeping faces, I could almost believe they weren't the little hellions that had been driving me nutso all day. Smiling slightly, I snuggled into my comforter and drifted off.

~! #$%^&*()-

It was midnight when I was awoken by the sound of glass breaking.


	6. I Kick Some Kidnapper Ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione discovers that kicking ass is actually quite satisfying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: Oh hai. *shot*
> 
> Sonic: Insane...?
> 
> Insane: Don't look at me! I dunno! ... Oh, I forgot last chapter's question... I'll just do two today!
> 
> ~! #$%^&*()-
> 
> Disclaimer: Somebody get me a pop-tart!

Have you ever woken up to the sound of glass breaking?

It's terrifying, let me tell you.

Yay.

I shot upright at about middle-of-the-fucking-night o'clock, the sound of shattering glass ringing in my ears. Manic also shot up, but I managed to grab him and pull him into cuddles before he started screaming or similar.

I couldn't leave the kid, but I needed to know what had happened. But bringing Manic could be dangerous... if he were seen... or if he got hurt-

"Scawred, Mommy..."

Yup. There is no way I'm putting this baby down. Consequences be damned.

~! #$%^&*()-

There were _people_ in the living room.

I stood in the shadows of the kitchen doorway, Manic clutching my pajama sleeve like a lifeline.

There were three strangers dressed in some kind of uniform, standing in the living room. I narrowed my eyes as I listened to them argue. It went a bit like this:

Goon 1: I still don't see why we had to break the window.

Goon 2: The door would've attracted too much attention?

Goon 3: *Facepalm* You're both pathetic. I told you, it's a kidnapping, and it needs to _look_ like a kidnapping. The girl probably already knows too much-

Goon 2: She probably hasn't even been contacted!

Goon 1: Yes she has!

Goon 3: Exactly! If we make her think we're the ones who contacted her with the Projects-

Goon 2: But we're _not!_ That's lying!

Goon 3: Oh, you imbecile!

Goon 1: We need the projects! LYING is the least of our issues!

Well, I'd heard enough. These people were after my kids.

_My **kids**._

I could feel maternal fury flow through my veins, could see nothing but red. Any fear I was feeling was overshadowed by anger.

These people would only touch my kids if I was _dead_ first.

I stepped into view, shifting Manic into my left arm, so I had my right free. The toddler made himself comfortable, settling into the crook of my arm and planting his thumb firmly into his mouth. It was adorable, and it also showed his toddler-style confidence in me. _Mommy can take care of these mean people. I'm just gonna chill here._

None of the goons noticed me until one was knocked over the head by my fist. I hit him as hard as I could, making him stumble to the left.

I glared at the other two. "Your plan has a bit of a snag; and I don't mean that I overheard it."

The pair exchanged a glance before coming at me. I jumped out of the way, for once thankful for the chaos that the hallways in school were. Who knew dodging idiots who run through the halls without paying the slightest bit of attention to where they were going would prepare me for a fight with weirdos who wanted to steal my kids?

I guess I _did_ learn something in high school!

...

...

I still despise it there, though.

When the pair of goons were behind me, I spun around, lifting my leg into a round house kick. My technique probably sucked, I'll admit- I have no training in fighting, and I've never been all that coordinated, but the adrenaline (And absolute fury) rushing through my veins was proving to be quite the equalizer. I kicked them both, but barely phased the second one. the first one I kicked took the brunt of the blow.

I'd been aiming for higher, the small of his back. Instead, I kicked lower, hitting somewhere both funnier and with better leverage.

Now I could genuinely claim I've kicked a guy's ass. Woohoo!

He careened forward, propelled by Newton's laws of inertia and his own momentum, and cracked his head on the coffee table, before falling to the floor, unconscious.

I actually knocked one out! SWEET! Who's the mama!

The goon I'd originally punched was back on his feet and trying to steal Manic right out of my arm. Unfortunately, he wasn't expecting the baby to have teeth and know how to use them.

 _Note to self; Have_ talk _with the kids re: biting, and when or when not appropriate._

The man howled in pain, shaking his hand out, and I turned and decked him, right in the nose. I heard two cracks, and a burst of pain in my hand told me that one of them was my own. Quickly, I moved my fingers and figured out that it was my pinky, the middle segment. Mr. Attemmpted-Kidnapping was worse, stumbling back with blood pouring from his quickly-swelling nose. It was broken.

_Note to self mark II; Cross 'break some asshole's nose' off of bucket list._

I turned quickly to find the other bastard pointing a Taser at me.

Ha! If there's one thing I know about Tasers, it's that they are either close range (As in 'right next to you' range) or hard to reload. This was a 'hard to reload' one. He fired at me, and I dodged. One of the barbs caught in my pajama pants, but without the other barb it couldn't shock me, so I grabbed the cord and yanked it out, before using that cord to yank the actual gun right out of the man's hand. This was then flung into the face of the other guy, knocking him out as well.

I turned to the last one, glaring. He glared right back.

"You think I'd just _let_ you take my kids?"

"Ha. You have no idea what is going on!"

I smirked. "No, I don't. Thank you, Captain Obvious!"

He charged at me. I simply stood there, waiting for the right moment.

This was a move I'd pulled off before.

When he was right in front of me, I pulled my knee up as fast and hard as I could, catching him right in the family jewels. He gave a high pitched yelp, falling over and clutching his soft spot. I stood over him, baby in my arm (He was chewing on something. Better check on that.), and growled, "I _don't_ know what's going on. Not by a long shot. But I _DO_ know that ANYone trying to take my kids will have to pry them from my cold, dead hands."

"There are reinforcements on the way, girl!"

I lifted my foot and stomped on the back of his head, knocking him out. "Thanks for the warning."

Then I turned and ran up the stairs.

I had gotten lucky with these punks.

I shouldn't test that luck.

Time to get out of here.

I knew I needed to leave.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think of this chapter. This is one of my first fight scenes, and I REALLY didn't want it to seem forced, or too 'expert'... basically what Hermione was doing was copying what she saw on TV and running on an adrenaline high, like Molly Weasley's "NOT MY DAUGHTER YOU BITCH!" Moment (The adrenaline, not the TV). Please, please PLEASE tell me how I did with the fight scene.
> 
> Question 5:
> 
> Which play by William Shakespeare does the name 'Hermione' come from?
> 
> Question 6:
> 
> In the same play, what is the name of the character Hermione's daughter?


	7. I Make A Run For It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione prepares to GTFO of town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: Doth thou wanna see the moon rise? Watch the the ending of the daaay? I have been working oh so very hard, to move the stars, into a beautiful arraaaaay! It's just been kind of lonely - all these things I do, and nopony seems to caaaaare! But dost thou wanna see the moon rise? Then we can hang out till the sunrise!
> 
> ~! #$%^&*()-
> 
> Disclaimer: Insanity Fangirl can try to say she's not a brony all she likes. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt.

Have you ever had a moment of blinding panic? Like, 'OMG, I've gotta get OUT OF HERE!'?

It's not fun, at all.

I didn't quite understand why I felt such urgency. I just knew if I didn't get out of here I wouldn't be going anywhere. Like a feeling in my gut.

I dropped Manic next to the others, not caring if he woke them up. My body was on autopilot as my mind frantically listed what I needed. My schoolbag was dumped onto the floor, me thanking the bookbag gods that it was so big. A few changes of clothes were hurriedly stuffed inside, the manila folder and it's contents shoved into the front pocket. I debated taking my cell phone for a moment before dropping it onto my bed. It wasn't worth the risk of being tracked. I did grab my iPod, though, thinking that at the very least I could play it for the kids. A couple stuffed animals (In the hope they would help me with the kids) were shoved on top of the clothes, followed by my rolled-up was a little room left, but I left it, deciding that putting food inside was a good idea. I grabbed another blanket, but instead of putting it in the bag, I kept it out.

After a few trips up and down the stairs, the kids were all sitting on the kitchen table, four of them blinking sleepily and Manic looking scared.

A few non-perishable, toddler friendly food items found their way into my backpack, which was slung over my shoulder. After a moment of debate, I decided that I was taking my car.

Why did I debate what should've been my first and most obvious choice? Simple.

I despise driving. Too much to pay attention to all at once!

Not to mention I'm horrid at it.

A few trips later, the kids were all in the backseat of my old Ford. Okay, I can do this.

I got this.

I really do.

...

...

I'm screwed.

I hopped in the front seat, dropping into it warily.

Then, I hit the gas, peeling out of the driveway just as a suspicious black hummer pulled onto the end of the street.

I stepped on it.


	8. I Lie My Way Into A Hotel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione drives past way too much agriculture and lies to get into a hotel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: Coooooorn...
> 
> Disclaimer: I think she's lost it for real this time!

Have you ever wondered what a car chase, a real one, would be like? Well, I can tell you.

It's fucking TERRIFYING. I'd never been more afraid in all my seventeen years, than when my old four-door was flying down the road, fifty-four mph, five wailing toddlers strapped into the backseat, and three black SUVs on my tail.

Well, if there ever was an incentive for flooring it, this was it.

As I tried to focus on GETTING AWAY _NOW_ , my brain had other ideas, and it turned to 'WHY HAVE NONE OF THESE _FUCKING_ HOUSES WE'VE _BARRELED_ PAST CALLED THE COPS?!'. It was actually a valid question. We must have passed a good hundred houses at speeds definately unsafe for a residential area, yelt there was no sign of the police. What the hell?!

Well, I suppose it was a good thing. Even if the cops did show, I couldn't stop for them. I mean, what was I gonna tell them? "Sorry, officers, I was attacked in my home by some weirdos trying to kidnap my kids; Oh, by the way, they're mutant hedgehogs from a video game. Nice weather we've been having, huh?"

Remember how I was pondering my sanity this morning? Yeah. They wouldn'tve stopped to ponder.

And if they'd seen my kids... Well, they'd probably send them off to some lab to be dissected somewhere.

Wait... Was it only this morning?

...

...

...

It was.

I can't believe it.

Only this morning. Only this morning I was ready to call it quits and go hide under a rock somewhere with my electronics and a generator, and just let the world destroy itself. Only this morning I was on my way out the door, about to face just another day.

Only this morning I found a cardboard box.

Only this morning I became a mother.

Only this morning my life changed forever.

I can't believe it.

The realization brought an awed smile to my face, a triumphant grin that told the steering wheel and windshield (no-one and nothing else could see me) 'I'm not going down yet!'

I stepped on it.

-:-:-:-

A few things you should know about where I live:

1: I live in northern Illinois.

2: My hometown is small and easy to get lost in.

3: The edges of the highways are reserved for one thing and one thing only; Corn.

All of this led up to me shooting along the highway, corn growing along each side of me.

I hate corn.

I'm sick of corn!

Once I'd gotten over my fear that came alongside the adrenaline of the car chase, it was pathetically easy to lose the three on my tail. Just a few turns onto shortcuts and streets only natives know about and I was at the entrance to the interstate.

I'd been driving it for about an hour, now, the kids having fallen asleep in the back of the car. I knew I'd have to stop and find a place to stay for the night soon, because the adrenaline wearing off had left my body fully aware it was about three am.

At least I knew were my children were.

All joking aside, I really was tired, and we'd already gotten half-way through Iowa. I'd think it was safe to stop by now. So when I saw the sign for a Motel 6, I practically dove off the interstate.

Yay!

No more corn.

-:-:-:-:-:-

Check in was difficult. Being as I don't turn eighteen for another few weeks, I wasn't legally old enough to check into a motel by myself. I got around this issue by spinning a sob story to the kind looking receptionist about how I was kicked out of my home by my family because they hated me, but I was too young to do ANYTHING, and I just needed a place to stay for the night because my friend in Iowa City had offered to let me stay with her but I was too tired to keep moving. That and the corn was starting to make me feel just a _little bit_ psychotic.

By the end of it all I was in frustrated tears, the worry and fear on my face real as can be- though it was for the fact I left my kids in the car, rather than anything to do with the story.

She bought it hook, line, and sinker, and offered to let me stay under her name if I paid her the money instead. I did so, and she gave me a room key, telling me to get some sleep and reminding me that check-out ended at eleven o'clock.

As I walked back outside and moved my car to the parking spot in front of the door to my room, I pondered the kind receptionist, wondering for the first time in a long time if the world really was as screwed as I'd always thought it was.

Was there hope for the future after all?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: See, disclaimer?! I'm not losing it! There's corn in the chapter!
> 
> Sonic: ^^* But now you're talking to the disclaimer.
> 
> Insane: T-T
> 
> -:-:-:-
> 
> Question 7:
> 
> What do they call the fuel made from corn?
> 
> Question 8:
> 
> What is Sonic the Hedgehog's middle name?


	9. I Steal Everything Not Nailed Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione steals the motel towels and Binocular Guy and his partner discover that she's run off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Insane: Sorry it's been so long, readers. You know, a wise man once said, on the subject of mothers, "One day, when your mother is yelling at you, you might begin to hear a tiny voice in your head that will tell you that you are right and your mother is wrong. Over the years, this voice might get louder and louder, and you might find that you prefer listening to this voice instead of your mother's voice, particularly if she has been yelling at you this whole time."
> 
> Manic: ... Not that the words aren't wise, because I guess they are, but how is that at all relevant to the amount of time it took you to sit your butt down and start writing this?
> 
> Insane: *Sweatdrop* My mother has been yelling at me. A lot. *under breath* I'm eighteen and she still treats me like I'm an idiot whom doesn't know anything.
> 
> Sonic: ... Who said that, anyway?
> 
> Insane: Lemony Snicket, of course. Now, roll tape!
> 
> ~! #$%^&*()_+
> 
> Disclaimer: Lemony Snicket's 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' is a drealful story of three dreadfully unlucky orphans with an unhappy ending, beginning, and middle. It is my request that, if you haven't done so, you head to your nearest library or convenience store and procure - a word which here means 'obtain in as legal a fashion as possibe'- a copy of the books at your earliest convenience, then sit beside the fire or secret escape hatch in your house to read them.

Have you ever woken up in a unfamiliar place and panicked slightly? You look around and see that your various posters, furniture, and empty soda cans are mysteriously missing, and you feel a flutter in your chest and stomach before you then remember exactly why you've woken with out them in the vicinty.

That was my experience when I awoke in an unfamilar hotel room. Once the memories of the day before came back, I glanced around to find the toddlers all still sound asleep on the second bed, and looking incredibly cute. Sonic had cuddled up to Shadow in his sleep, and was using him as a teddy bear. The Ultimate Life Form himself was biting the pillow in his sleep, and his stomach was being used as a pillow by Sonia. Manic had somehow ended up with Sonia lying over his legs, so that she was on top of him. And Scourge was curled up next to Manic's head, looking not unlike a content kitten.

Although, in my expirience, kittens are not usually green.

Once I was sure the kids were alright, I made to get out of bed, only to hiss in pain when my right hand touched the bedspread. A glance reminded me of the crack I'd heard and the pain I'd felt when I'd punched that goon and broken his nose last night. My pinky finger was swollen, particularly in the middle segment where I'd guessed the break was, and purple and blue.

Shit.

I got up, this time careful to use my left hand for any leverage I needed, and wandered into the bathroom.

The face I saw in the mirror above the sink wasn't much to sneeze at, I thought, a tired girl with bleary hazel eyes, short, messy dyed-black hair with a large blue streak in the front that my mother whined about (That's probably the only reason I kept it, to be honest), unattractively pale skin, rounded cheeks and chin that gave the impression of a circle rather than an oval or heart, a small neck leading to wide shoulders and a rumpled t-shirt proclaiming that 'I Just Don't Know What Went Wrong' with a grey pegasus pony from MLP with a blond mane, and yellow-orange eyes, one of which was looking in a completely different direction than the other, looking very angry on the front, a small chest and slight chubbiness that seemed to exsist everywhere on my body except where I wanted it.

I was by no stretch beautiful, and I had been aware of that fact for quite a long time. I didn't really care how I looked, but I did care that based on the concited attitudes of the current geeneration, I was unlikey to find a serious relationship before my thirties.

And that was without the whole 'hedgehog toddlers that must be kept secret' complication.

Dammit.

But I had more important things to worry about than how eligable of a bachlorette I was.

Carefully, I used my good fingers on my right hand and my left to pick up one of the hotel towels, using my teeth in a technique learned eventually by every kid in America as they used it to open bags of sweets, tear packaging, and open soda bottles, to start a slight tear in the towel, about an inch from the end, and proceeded to pull in opposite directions with my left hand and my first three fingers and thumb on my right. It came apart in a straight line with a satisfying _ziiiiiiip_.

Was I destroying hotel property? Sure! Did I particularly care? Not really. The towel was going to a good cause, after all. I took that inch long strip, and after some careful motions between my left hand and my mouth, I managed to tie my right pinky firmly to the ring finger.

I didn't want it to get worse before I could figure out how to get it looked at.

At that particular moment, I realized I had no plan, nowhere to go, a very limited amount of cash ($2500 may _seem_ like a lot, but when you're on the move, driving on highways, have six mouths to feed, then gas, food, a place to stay at night, and other expenses would eat up that in a shockingly small amount of time. Already it was down to $2430 from the motel.), and very little basic things like clothes and other necessities.

After a brief deliberation, I scooped up all of the hotel towels and washclothes and dropped them onto the closed toilet seat. Then I grabbed all of the tiny soaps and things that were in every hotel on the planet and dropped them onto the pile, also grabbing the two extra toilet paper rolls and the one actually on the holder and adding that to the stack. I glacened around the room for anything else and noticed the rug on the bathroom floor. It was one of those thick, plush memory foam ones, meant to absorb the water dripping from whomever stepped on it.

I was never a straight A student, but what I lacked in book smarts had, in my opinion, been made up for by a gift I had that it seemed few others actually shared with me anymore: common sense and logic. Right now, my logic was telling me that I had a long hard road ahead, one filled with trusting no one and running for quite a while. Common sense stated that any advantage I had would aid me in making it safely to the other end of this journey, whatever it may be. My moral compass was telling me that I was already toeing the line between right and wrong by taking the towels, and I reeeeeeaally shouldn't push it.

Normally, I'd try to listen to my morals, but I knew my decsion wouldn't just affect me, it would affect five small children.

My descion was made at that, as I realized that anything I could do that would make those kids more comfortable or safer _was_ the right choice.

The rug went onto the pile, then I took the bottm towel, and, carefully so I didn't jar my finger, i wrapped the whole thing up in a bundle inside the bottom towel and left the bathroom.

Walking back into the main room, I went over to the door and stuck my head out, taking a good look around, particularly at the structures, awnings, and walls. Once I was satisfied there were no security cameras or passerby to catch me in the act, I went out and dumped the bundle on the floor of the backseat of my car.

Then I went inside.

The next time I came out, still checking carefully for people who might see me, whether they were just passing by or perhaps peeking out the windows, the bundle was of the blankets and sheets from both beds, and containd everything from the coffee maker to the pillows.

I should note that, while I more than likely wasn't the first person to strip a motel room of anything not nailed down, I still felt rather bad about it. The receptionist had been very kind to me, and I was rather cruel in comparison.

I hoped she didn't lose her job or have to pay too much.

The third and final time I came out, my checking for passerby was even more paranoid then before. It was understandable, though, as this time I had five sleepy toddlers in my arms.

I loaded them up, hopped in the front seat, and drove off, after stopping briefly to check out, carefully avoiding looking up and showing my face to the lobby cam, and hiding my injured hand from the day receptionist. The night before, I'd been fairly carefull to do the same, so I should be good.

Safe.

Back on the highway, I kept watch for restraunt signs. I'd need some breakfast to keep me going for the day, and it was only a matter of time before the kids realized that they were actually awake and not still dreaming and demanded sustenance.

~! #$%^&*()-+

A stereotypical white van drove away form a blue-gray house in a small town in Illinios. Theyu neighborhood was in an uproar de to the disappearence of one Hermione Cadence Cinika.

This was bad.

This was very bad.

If _they_ had gotten ahold of her and the Projects...

The driver of the van, a man in a stereotypical black suit, glanced at his partner, who picked up the radio.

"Boss?" He said, nervously. "She's gone. Not sure if she got nabbed or ghosted."

The response was from a female voice. "What did it look like?"

"Blood on the carpet and a few other places, broken window. There was definatly a fight, but the girl's car is missing, too."

"Sounds like she was attacked and did a runner. Track her down, boys. Miss Cinika and those kids need to be in our safe house and soon."

"Yes, ma'am!" They chorused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question 9:
> 
> What is the name of the MLP: FiM character on Hermione's shirt?


	10. I Find A Clue (But Really, It Was Manic)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione deals with kids in the car, and discovers a clue that could tell her more about what's going on, if she can figure out what it means.....

Have you ever driven cross country? It's an interesting expirience, particularly if you are able to stop at the various rest stops and landmarks along the way. I may not have been able to do that (Having kids that need to be kept hidden sucks, let me tell you.) but it was still interesting, especially now that there wasn't any corn.

Thank GOD. I'm never gonna eat corn again.

Ever.

"Mama I bowd." Sonic complained. A glance in my rearview mirror showed the little blue furball wearing an adorable pout, his little hands clinging to the seatbelt.

I may have been more moved if this weren't the tenth time he'd said that in five minutes.

Without carseats, or even enough seats for everybody in the back, I had to improvise a bit. Sonic and Shadow were sharing a seat and seatbelt, as were Manic and Sonia. The middle seat was occupied by the little demon, Scourge. All of the chest parts of the belts were behind the five of them, though I caught Sonia trying to eat one about a half an hour previous.

I'm pretty sure nylon isn't an acceptable food for toddlers, even alien ones.

"I know sweetie," I responded, trying to keep irritation out of my voice. “But we're in the car, and I'm driving, so I can't entertain you.”

“But Maaaaama!”

I rolled my eyes.

“Mommy, I hungee.” Sonia whined.

“Are we dere yet?” Scourge asked.

“Gods help me....” I grumbled. “Sonia, we'll stop for food soon. Scourge, if you _ever_ ask that again I will hang you from the rearview mirror by your ankles. Understand?”

“Yes, Mommy. Are we dere yet?”

_Oh,_ _come on!_ I thought.  _I just told him not to ask that..... Thank the heavens Shadow is at least being quiet._ Shadow was settled into his seat, arms crossed and brooding. He hadn't moved from that position in quite a while, actually.

“Mommy?” It was Manic. He had been worryingly quiet since we'd run from the house.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Who were dose men?”

How could I answer that, when I didn't know, myself?

“Dey scawed me.”

They scared me, too....

“Dey dwopped dis, dough.”

Wait, what!? I pulled over to the shoulder of the highway almost instantly, turning around to get a good look at the foot-tall child. “What did they drop!?” My voice may have been a bit harsher than I was going for.

He held out a tiny hand, clasping a little hunk of metal that I actually recognized- it was the thing he'd been chewing on right after I knocked out the goons trying to steal my babies. I took it, gently, and stared. It was a pin, the kind that you would attach to your shirt. It seemed to be an insignia of some kind.

The design was pretty simple-a silver circle with a blue equilateral triangle, point-down. The triangle was separated into four smaller triangles, reminding me of the Triforce from those Zelda games my cousin enjoyed so much. The center triangle was colored blood-red, and since the bigger one was point-down, it was point-up.

I didn't recognize it, but something told me that identifying it was one of the biggest keys to figuring out what was going on. I turned the pin over, seeing one word engraved into the back.

_Potencon_ .

I didn't know what it meant, or even what language it was. I had no clue of its significance.

But I knew that it was just as, if not more, important than the insignia.

I had to find a computer soon- I had research to do.

~!@#$%^&*()_+

Binocular Guy and his partner were following the trail of Miss Hermione Cinika.

After they had tracked down the motel she'd stayed at- and that was pure luck and happenstance, Binocular Guy's cousin having been the receptionist (She was pissed when she'd found the hotel room stripped bare, so she'd called her favorite cousin to complain, and he'd figured out it was Hermione from her description. He had to admit, it would've taken much longer to track her down had she not gone to that particular hotel at that particular time.

Heading in the direction she was most likely to have gone, he and his partner could only hope they found her soon. It wasn't safe for her or the Projects out in the open, not with  _them_ after her.

Fortune was on their side though, as Binocular Guy's partner suddenly yelled, “There!” and pointed to the shoulder of the highway, where an old green ford was parked.

Binocular Guy pulled over so they were a short ways behind her car, hoping to avoid scaring her off.

~!@#$%^&*()_+

I was so occupied by the insignia, I didn't notice the car parked behind mine until there was a knock at my window.......

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Question 10: What language is the word 'Potencon'?

**Author's Note:**

> In this particular story, I will be asking a question per chapter.
> 
> Question 1:
> 
> What was the ink-pen-like device used on Hermione's mom and stepdad?


End file.
